Switch for electric flashlights or the like



June 8, 1943.

T. BRADBURY 2,321,180

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC FLASHLIGHTS OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 2, 1941 Q '5.Fig/V.

fkomyfifiada y Patented June 8, 1943 SWITCH FDR ELECTRIC FLASHLIGHTS ORTHE LIKE Thomas Bradbury, Birmingham, England, assignor to PhillipsTelescopic Taps Limited, Birmingham, England Application December 2,1941, Serial No. 421,349 In Great Britain December 6, 1940 4 Claims.

This invention relates to switches for electric flashlights or the likeof the type comprising a sliding contact bar or member mounted to slidelongitudinally in the casing containing the battery, for contacting withthe lamp reflector or the like. A spring contact nose has previouslybeen formed on the bar or a member carried. by the bar. This inventionhas for its object an improved construction Which reduces the liabilityof the same getting out of order in use and which facilitatesmanufacture. A further object of the invention is to obviate the need ofshaping the contact nose from the main body of the contact bar orrelying on a nose on a strip bent from such bar. A further object is toform the spring con tact nose separate from the slide bar and arrangedso that the tongue is correctly positioned with regard to the face ofthe contact bar when assembled. A still further object is to protect thecontact nose against derangement.

According to the present invention, the switch comprises a sliding barand a spring controlled nose or projection carried thereby and adaptedto be depressed inwardly of the sliding bar on pressure contact withanother member, the arrangement being such that the slide bar forms aprotection for the nose or projection and prevents the contacting memberfrom distorting or damaging the spring controlled nose or projcction.The spring nose or projection conveniently passes through a perforationin the slide bar which thus forms a socket device which acts as areceiver for the nose when depressed. The length of the nose projectingfrom the slide bar is predetermined and governed by a stop on the springdevice coacting with the slide bar.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing,on which:

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a switch constructed accordingto this invention fitted to an electric flashlight casing.

Figure 2 is a section taken in the piano of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an inside view of the switch dctached.

Figure 4 is an outside face view, and

Figure 5 is an end view of the switch.

According to a convenient embodiment of this invention, the slidingswitch bar comprises a strip of metal forming a protector cover I whichis inturned at one end to form a distance flange 2 spacing such end fromthe wall of the battery mntniner. A thin strip of sheet metal formingthe spring arm or strip spring 3 is anchored at the inner end to theswitch bar and is bent into a U-shape at the other end to form aU-shaped contact nose 4 which passes through a rectangular perforation 5in the switch bar. The spring arm normally lies flat against the back ofthe swtich bar which forms a stop for the outward movement of thespring, so that the nose projects through the switch bar to apredetermined extent and therefore the depth of the complete switch barcan be readily manufactured to a definite size, whilst again themovement of the spring nose is also definitely defined which ensuresthat the switch can be made by mass production for accurate assembly.The switch bar has a rectangular perforation B for receiving lugs l onthe switch thumb piece 8 by means of which the bar is slidably fixed onthe Wall of the battery casing 9. The inner end of the said spring arm 3is fixed to the inner face of the switch bar by enlarging such end andturning over the edges 10 of the switch bar over this enlarged end,which is also perforated to receive the said fixing lugs of the thumbpiece.

The free limb II of the spring nose is extended to prevent the end ofsuch limb passing through the perforation 5 in the switch bar. A roundednose only projects through the switch bar and the pressure contact ofany member having relative longitudinal movement will merely press thenose inwards into the socket formed by the said perforation which ismaintained distanced from the wall of the battery conainer by the saidinturned flange 2 on the switch bar. The casing is convenientlypolygonal in cross section as shown by Figure 2, and the switch bar isslidably mounted on one flat face I2. The rounded end I3 of the casingis of a diameter to enable the tip of the flange 2, which may be deeperthan the thickness of the switch bar, to slidably bear thereon. Theswitch arm may be curved laterally to conform with the shape of a roundbattery container. When the switch bar is moved into the on position asshown in dotted lines by Figure l, the nose 4 is depressed by engagementwith the casing l3 holding the electric lamp.

With the aforedescribed construction there will be no liability of anymember catching on the spring and deranging the same, as for instancewhen removing or fitting a battery.

I claim:

1. A switch for electric flashlights comprising a flashlight casing, aswitch bar sliclably mounted on the casing and formed of sheet metal, astrip spring on the inner side of the bar, inturned longitudinal edgeson the switch bar folded over the rear portion of the spring, a contactnose on the front end of the spring, an opening in the bar through whichthe contact nose passes to the limit allowed by the strip spring bearingagainst the inner face of the bar, a flange on the front end of theswitch bar, a portion of the flashlight casing of larger size than thaton which the switch bar is slidably connected on which the said flangebears for distancing the end of the bar from the flashlight casing and arecess formed between the switch'bar and said portion of the casing oflarger size into which the contact nose is depressed when makingcontact.

2. A switch for electric flashlights, comprising a flashlight casing, aswitch bar unit slidably mounted on the casing and made of a strip ofsheet metal forming a protector cover and a strip of sheet metal forminga spring arm arranged flat inan unflexed condition against the innerface of the cover which prevents the spring arm being flexed beyond apredetermined extent, inturned flanges on the sides of the protectorcover fixing the spring arm on the protector cover and slidably bearingon the casing and distancing the spring arm from the casing, a nose benton the end of the spring arm and projecting through the protector cover,and means distancing the end of the protector cover from the casing andform-ing a recess under the protector cover for receiving the nose whendepressed.

3. A switch for electric flashlights comprising a flashlight casing, aswitch bar unit slidably mounted on the casing and made of a strip ofsheet metal forming a protector cover and a strip of sheet metal forminga spring arm arranged flat in an unflexed condition against the innerface of the said cover which prevents the spring arm being flexed beyonda predetermined extent, inturned flanges on the sides of the protectorcover fixing the spring arm on the protector cover and slidably bearingon the said casing and distancing the spring arm from the casing, a nosebent on the end of the spring arm and projecting through the protectorcover, and an inturned flange on the end of the protector stripdistancing the end of the protector cover from the casing and forming arecess under the protector strip for receiving the nose when depressed.

4. A switch for electric flashlights, comprising a flashlight casing, aswitch bar slidably mounted on the casing and made of sheet metal andforming a protector cover, a strip of sheet metal forming a spring armfixed to the inner face of the protector cover, a U-shaped nose bent onthe spring arm and projecting through an opening in the protector cover,means on the protector cover distancing the spring arm from said casingand forming members for sliding on the easing, means distancing theinner face of the protector cover from said casing to form a recessunder the protector cover for receiving said nose when depressed andmeans for slidably connecting the switch bar to the casing and foroperating the switch bar.

THOMAS BRADEURY.

